The present invention relates to electric power generators and, more particularly, to the conversion of the kinetic energy of ocean waves into electrical power.
With present-day concern over both environmental pollution and conservation of energy resources, much thought has been given to new energy sources for electric power plants. Unfortunately, where pollution-free energy sources have been found in great supply, the apparatus required to efficiently produce electricity has proven to be either impractical or beyond the state of the art. With this in mind, I have given considerable thought to using the energy in ocean waves as a primary energy source. These waves are available in inexhaustible supply and can be utilized without polluting either the ocean or the air.
To be sure, the use of ocean waves in generating electric power has been suggested in the prior art. Such prior art systems have employed inclined walls extending above the ocean surface near the shore line. The walls are apertured so that wave water flowing up the incline can pass through the wall into a collecting vessel or cistern. Water thus collected is permitted to flow through an opening in the bottom of the vessel to drive a turbine or the like. The primary driving force for the turbine in such a system is thus derived from the potential energy or "head" of the collected wave water. Prior art systems of this type may be characterized as converting the kinetic wave energy into potential energy (i.e., pressure head) which is then converted to electrical energy. The conversion from kinetic to potential energy requires a rather large structure to store the collected water; in addition, energy loss by virture of the conversion and by evaporation of the stored water is considerable.
In order to utilize wave energy whenever it is available, irrespective of tide level, it has been suggested in the prior art that the afore-mentioned wave-collecting generators be permitted to float. By so floating and if suitably anchored, the generator can more or less follow the tide. However, there is always the danger with this "floating" approach that the generator will break away from its anchor and either be lost or destroyed against rocks. Further, a structure which must store significant quantities of ocean water must be made of extremely light-weight material if it is to remain floating. Such material presents considerable structural problems, particularly where a turbine or the like must be supported and where current-carried ocean debris can be impacted against the structure.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electric power generator which operates directly from the kinetic energy of ocean waves.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an efficient, relatively inexpensive and pollution-free approach to generating electrical power.
It is still another object of the present invention to employ the energy from ocean waves in a new manner to efficiently generate electricity.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electric power generator which is efficiently driven by the kinetic energy in ocean waves and which is readily positionable to operate at all tidal conditions without floating.